Page 101 of Dark Surrender

“We’re working,” he says, no emotion in his voice, then turns off my phone and shoves it between his legs.

“What is wrong with you?” I bark.

“We are working, Iris. This is work.”

I glance at the clock on the console. “We’ve been on the road for seven hours, and I don’t like this version of you.”

“Too bad. This is what you wanted.”

What a fucking dickwad.

“Oh. So, this is punishment.”

“No. This is me giving you what you want without losing my fuckin’ mind in the process.”

“You don’t make any sense.”

“I make plenty of sense. Do you think this is easy for me?” He jams a thumb at his chest. “To drive you to a fucking resort in the middle of nowhere, with no backup for miles, to feed you to the sickest fucks, who are gonna put their hands on you, or worse, ya know, try to rape you.”

“That’s not what this is.”

“The hell it ain’t!” Dark slams his hand against the steering wheel.

Refusing to yell at him, given how high emotions are running, I keep my tone low, and do my best to calm him down. “Gunz said there will be cameras on us. You’ll always see us. It’s only for a day, maybe two. Less than forty-eight hours. You need someone on the inside to let you in. That’s what we’re doing.”

“A lot can happen in that time, Iris. Just because we can see you doesn’t mean shit if I can’t get there in time.”

“I can handle this.”

“I know you can. But I can’t.”

“Don’t do this.”

“Do what? Give a fuck?!” He throws a glare my way.

“You worked jobs with Kali and other women before. This isn’t new for you.”

“You’re not Kali,” he snarls.

“No, I…”

“You’re different. It’s not the same.” Dark taps his heart with two fingers. “In here. It’s not the same.”

“You were married.”

“Still not the same.”

Whatever.

“We barely know each other,” I snap at this hot, pigheaded man.

“So? I know I love you. That I’m in love with you. I know that this drive is killin’ me, bein’ quiet, worried about what’s gonna happen and what will happen if I can’t get there in time. You’re a virgin. What if they…”

I hold a hand up. “Stop.” We can’t do this.

“You’ve seen what men like this do. It happens all the time.”

“Then take it,” I throw out without thinking.